If There Was No Christmas…..

What if there was no Christmas? No gifts to buy, no tree, no cookies to bake. Even more- what if Jesus had never come. Where in the world would we be?

We live in a broken, sin filled world. I can hardly watch or listen to the news because my heart is reminded that this world is broken. The problems that we face today are really no different then they have been for hundreds of years. Some of the same people groups have been fighting since Genesis, people have been violent and perverse since sin entered the world. You don’t have to get very far into reading scripture to see that as soon as the fruit touched Adam and Eve’s lips – our world began to deteriorate. It happened fast. There really is no new thing under the sun.

Yet, Christmas comes and offers hope. Christ came down on His rescue mission of love  – and our world was forever changed. But what if Jesus had never come. What if there was no Christmas?

Just last night, I posed this question to my children. I told them I didn’t want the Bible answers first – I wanted basic things of history that would have never happened.

1. Our calendar would be different. Our calendar is based on BC – before Christ and AD – After death. If Chris had not come- our calendar would not be based off of those two things. The death (and resurrection!) was a monumental turning point in history.
2. There wouldn’t have been a reformation – Without Christ, there would have been no need for a reformation period. A major period of history would be totally different.
3. We might not live in America- There might not even be a United States. The Pilgrims came to this country because they were fleeing religious persecution. Had they not wanted to worship God they way they saw fit, they may have never come to America.
4. We may not be here. Not as we are today. Without the pilgrims coming to America, many of our families would have never met.

Those are just the tips off of the iceberg that we could think of – and the answers that were not “Sunday School” answers.

Christmas – the first coming of Christ- it changed everything.

Yet, do we let Christmas continue to change us today?

Or is it just tinsel, lights, cookies and presents?

This Christmas, I have pulled back from all the rush. I just finished decorating my house last night. Normally it is done the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I haven’t baked one cookie yet. I haven’t wrapped a present.

What I have done, is sit in quiet and truly drink in my Savior.

I have spent time focusing on the words of Christmas. I have been quieting my heart before Him. I have been looking into the Greatest Gift, and truly drinking in His presence.

He doesn’t want us to forget Him this Christmas.

He doesn’t want us to act like He never came.

When we forget to sit in His presence, when we don’t bathe in His goodness – when we forget that Christmas is real, and that it was love coming down as a babe on a manager-  we act as if Christmas- the real Christmas- does not exist.

Take some time, slow down, and breath Him in deep.

Now – on to our link up! (If you are not a blogger- check out the post below!  I am sure you will love some of these posts!)

Don’t forget – if you link up with me, I share your post on social media even if you are not features!

The post with the most clicks this week was by F. Dean Hackett. He is sharing a way to read through the Bible in 2016! He has reading plans, memory verse templates, journaling pages and much more! Be sure to check it out!

Then, a personal favorite of mine was from Faith Filled Chaos. She shares how her family does Random Christmas Kindness as an Advent Countdown with her family! What an awesome idea! She has great printables to help you with this activity!

Now, it is your turn! Please share this link up with other bloggers you know!